Megan's Other Legacy of Fire Game 1

Game Master Megan Robertson

Able pushes his spectacles a little further up his nose. Miraculously, his record is away, though all suspect that at the first sign of anything even possible of being mistaken as noteworthy, it would be back. He stares intently at the Claw, as though trying to see through the dune.
"Perhaps... we should ride faster," he says, his usual buoyancy absent.

Auri, I think the sunset is opposite the claw - the red glow is coming from behind the claw, despite there being no sunset there.

Able- Yah figured, just discounting some odd weather phenomenon or desert aurora...etc :)

"I think I agree with you Able, I'd fly ahead, but I suspect if there is trouble then we might be safer staying in company, though I shall do so if you all wish it"

Auri, you reckon there's a fire somewhere beyond the Claw, a big one.

Auri thinks through what the red glow could be, until the most obvious strikes him - "That's...fire. A sign from Saerenrae perhaps, that my quest is headed true..."

"The glow is a large fire my friends, are we expecting a festival, or a very different sort of gathering?"

Before anyone really has a chance to reply, the small reptile unfolds with lightning quickness and launches himself off the top of the camel, unfurling his wings rapidly and beginning a rapid ascent heavenward.

I don't like this...

The ever wary tattooed elf mutters to himself as he hurries his camel towards the light.

PERCEPTION:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Attempting to see if I can hear anything weird from the main camp.

Aurichalcum:

Tahlumilali:

The flying reptile streaks back toward the group, and as he closes in you hear his voice entering your mind...

"There is an emergency ahead, and we are needed my gallant brothers, a caravan burns, make haste!"

With a quick wheel his wings flick out to their full extension, and with a strong flap he hurtles back up above the group, scanning the ground around the party for any incoming threats...

Tahl draws his scimitar and brings the flat of the blade to the camels side in an attempt to speed the lumbering beast towards the camp.

You'd think that even with their short lives humans would learn how to safely start a fire.

He says while rushing towards the camp.

Talahel urges his camel toward the burning camp and readies his longbow. He stops once he is within range of the camp to see what is happening.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Tahlumilali: Your camel turns its head and spits... an evil-smelling gobbet that flies past your left ear. Then it breaks into a flat run towards the Sultan's Claw!

As you all top the last rise, a caravan of a half-dozen wagons and a large tent clustered around the distinctive tree comes into view. Camels in a nearby pen prance in agitation, and a clutch of confused goats and livestock wander the grounds around the wagons. Perhaps a dozen men and women rush around the campsite, chasing down an animal or hastening toward the center of the cluster, near the Sultan's Claw, with pails of water in their hands. One of the wagons is on fire!

Lush orange and red flames engulf an elaborate wooden wagon emblazoned with painted moons and stars. A gout of smoke pours from an open door.

An indifferent rider at best, Variel halted his own camel, asking the camel herder he had talked to earlier to tend to his mount and ran to the flaming wagon.

In Taldonic (Common)
"Sand!" he called out, "Use sand!" Working with exotic chemicals, he knew of some that would explode in contact with water, and sand was more plentiful anyway. Plus, burn victims would require the water.

Lacking any effective means to fight the fire (he was going to have to contemplate a solution for that later), Variel started working to move other wagons and property away from the burning wagon, hoping to limit the damage if the fire could not be controlled.

Able raises his hands without speaking, and icy bursts fly from his fingertips. He carefully aims them over the wagons, hoping the fire will melt them in midair.

Using Ray of Frost, aiming for a 5-foot square over the wagon (AC 5). DM's discretion as to whether an ice spell will melt and create water? 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Realising that water dropped onto a fire from above might be better than water thrown on from the side, Auri looks for a spare bucket of water to assist with dousing the flames. If he can find an opening in the caravan, he uses his acute senses to try penetrate the obscuring smoke and detect any movement or signs of life within...

With Tahlumilali in the lead, and Aurichalcum fluttering overhead, you all charge towards the conflagration and the chaos surrounding it.

A gout of smoke pours from an open door of the burning wagon, and as you approach an ill wind blows a number of colourful fortune-telling Harrow cards from inside the wagon. One of these singed cards blows directly at Tahlumilali, catching against his chest in a burst of orange cinders. Here's the card

Varial dismounts and scampers forwards, yelling about sand.

The central flap of an elaborate tent flies open and a regal woman who can only be Almah steps out into the firelit night.

"Douse that flame!" she shouts to the men surrounding the wagon before turning in your direction. "Ah, Garavel!" she says. "And just a moment later than the nick of time, as usual." Looking specifically away from her major domo, who's following behind Varial, and directly at you lot, Almah barks out a simple order before running off toward the fire: "Find some way to help!"

Four burly mercenaries struggle with an enclosed wooden wagon within feet of the burning wagon, hoping to move it to safety before an errant spark causes it too to burst into flame.

Almah joins four soldiers dressed in the distinctive red chitin-plate armor of the Pactmaster Guard who are running back and forth between the burning fortune teller's wagon and an uncovered wagon about 20 feet away. The latter contains a huge barrel holding what looks to be enough drinking water to serve the entire campsite for a week. Garavel makes haste to join them as well.

A red-headed halfling kneels next to two severely burned mercenaries who apparently tried to enter the burning wagon. Looks like he is struggling to cope with tending to two such badly-hurt people at once.

A motley collection of pigs, goats, and sheep appear to have got loose and are milling around in panic, being chased by two middle-aged humans.

Aurichalcum can probably find a bucket beside the uncovered wagon that contains the barrel of water, but he'll have to be quick as the people starting the bucket chain are using all they can grab!

Ablenaffener flexes his fingers and casts his spell... to no effect. Nice try but you are creating magical cold not actual physical ice - my other group tried that too!

OK, what are you all going to do?

"I'm not gifted at healing humans, I'm not THAT strong yet, and a dragon circling the livestock may just give the wrong impression... decisions decisions"

The speeding dragon resembles a coppery javelin as he folds in his wings and dives in on the unattended bucket. As his rear legs grasp its handle, his wings flare out, resembling an Eagle siezing its prey.

Rapidly jostling the bucket into position, he fills it with water quickly before pushing off with a flap and circles to dump its content onto the burning wagon from above...

Aurichalcum continues to repeat the process, aiding in the firefighting effort.

Talahel sees the chaos created by the fire and spurs his camel on toward the burning camp re stowing his bow as he rides. He heads to the wooden wagon where the 4 mercenaries are trying to push the wagon away from the fire. He smoothly dismounts and joins the mercenaries in attempting to push the wagon to safety.

"Umph!" Talahel strains to help push the wagon away from the fire. Strength 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Tahl snatches the card off his shirt glancing at it before slipping it into a pocket before jumping off of the camel. He then rushes over to the wagon to help push with Talahel.

STRENGTH:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Activating whirling frenzy.

EDIT: Clearly I intended for that to be an assist...yeah thats right an assist. Talahel now has a 15.

Able moves as fast as his little legs can carry him to the milling livestock, trying to help soothe them and lead them to safety.

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

The slender elf was not likely to add much to the effort to move the second wagon, but he spied another area where he could help. While not a healer from the epics, Variel did know a few things, especially about treating burns, and rushed over to assist the healer.

Heal check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Whatever the Packmaster Guards expected, it wasn't a pseudodragon swooping down upon them! One drops his bucket in astonishment as Aurichalcum arrives, another takes a couple of steps back, hand going to his sword hilt... fortunately one sees that he's trying to help and fills a bucket for him, holding it up so it's easy to grab in his claws.

"Steady, lads," he says. "It's trying to help."

Flying slightly awkwardly with a heavy bucket, Aurichalcum manages to position himself over the burning wagon, peering down. There does not appear to be any movement inside. He tips the bucket... it does indeed seem to be effective delivered this way. Back for some more...

Meanwhile, Talahel and Tahlumilali lend their aid to the mercenaries pushing the other wagon out of danger. Slowly, it begins to move away...

Ablenaffener scampers around, his soothing words don't seem to be helping but he does manage to grab a rope halter dangling from one goat and bring the terrified beast under control.

Variel joins the healer who is working on a human male. He glances round as you arrive and gasps "If you can, help Kallien... my hands are full here!"

Assessing the situation, he sees that Kallien is a female human mercenary, who lies near death from terrible burns and smoke inhalation. Drawing on all the skill at his disposal, he manages to stablise her.

Once the wagon is pushed safely out of range of the fire, Talahel steps into the bucket brigade line and begins helping to pass buckets of water to be thrown onto the burning wagon.

With the mercenary stable for the moment, Variel joins his efforts to that of the male. Knowing that his skill is probably far inferior to the healer's, he takes on the role of an assistant.

Heal Check (to aid healer): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Ending whirling frenzy now that the wagon is moved. Just let me know how many rounds that would have taken.

Tahl joins the water brigade to assist in putting out the raging inferno.

Moving the wagon will take six rounds. Even with a couple more aerial bucket-runs from Aurichalcum the fire's still burning, but if Tahulmilali and Talahel then transfer their attention to the bucket brigade it will be extinguished in short order.

Meanwhile Variel provides medical assistance and I presume Ablenaffener continues to chase goats...

Once the fire is out and order is restored, the regal woman commands that all gather in her tent. It's one of those large, luxurious desert tents, carpets on the floor and decorative hangings, but seems quite crowded with mercenaries, Pactmaster Guards and other folk, never mind you lot.

"Be seated," says the woman. "Newcomers, I bid you welcome, even if this is not quite how I wanted to greet you. Garavel, I expect the strangers are the adventurers I asked you to recruit. I am Lady Almah Roveshki, in charge of this expedition to rescue the village of Kelmarane on behalf of the Pactmasters... appropriate as in years past the village used to be my family's responsibility. Since our involvement, however, it has fallen into the hands of gnoll tribes, who are said to hold allegiance to some 'Carrion King' - just who that might be I know not.

"Before we get on to that, I'd like to hear who you are and what you have to offer me. I'm also a little concerned by the fire and - seeing as you have only just arrived and so have no preconceptions - I'd be obliged if you'd investigate just how it came to start."

A voice from the back of the tent interrupts "Pugwampis!". Heads turn, the speaker is revealed as a fellow with stringy, greasy hair dressed in grubby rags and leaning on a staff.

Almah ignores him. "Once you have introduced yourselfs, conduct an inquiry and report to Garavel, please. Everyone else, give them your full cooperation."

The small dragon slips past the seated group and asserts his way to the front. He bows his small reptilian head in greeting and then sits upright, wrapping his tail neatly around his feet.

You note a slight audible purr, almost feline in sound, and he appears rather pleased with himself, then his voice enters your mind"Lady Roshevski, I am Aurichalcum, and I accept your thanks for valiantly extinguishing the blaze. However, I would just like to clarify that I am a companion of the party and here voluntarily - one does not employorrecruit a Dragon, one bestwos it with gifts in an effort to pique interest and its benevolence"

"Regardless, I am interested in Kelmarane, as are my companions, and I shall also grace you my assistance in finding the source of the fire"

With that he nods sagely at her, before turning his gaze back to you to make your introductions.

Talahel steps forward and bows to Lady Almah Roveshki. "I am Talahel Zstelian. I am an expert at finding people who do not wish to be found."

Talahel steps aside to allow the others to make their introductions. He also keeps an eye on the person who spoke out during Lady Almah's introduction.

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

"I am Tahlumilali Auvreaanea. My area of expertise is combat."

Tahl says as his piercing gaze takes in the tent full of people. Anyone who meets that gaze is given the impression of what a rabbit must see when meeting a wolf.

If the Cinn Óga can't even contain a small fire from getting out of hand what hope is there for this caravan?

Tahl thinks to himself as he takes in everything.

PERCEPTION:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Able bows low, his face returned to it's normal eagerness with the passing of danger. "Ablenaffener of Brevoy at your service, madam. I am a scribe and a gatherer of tales new and old, and when I must I am a bedazzler of senses and an ensnarer of minds."

Variel seems lost in thought as he absentmindedly gives his introduction

"Lady, I am Variel Tahloro, and I am a Duskwalker and purveyor of exotic substances."

Would Knowledge: Arcana or Nature reveal anything about 'Pugwampis'?

"I shall solve the mystery of flame shortly enough"

I am thinking that between us we have some good tracking skills, good stealth skills, and surely some good 'people skills'. Perhaps those with survivial can check to see if any arsonists may have fled the scene into the desert, whilst I skulk off and sneak around the campsite using high stealth and good senses to eavesdrop and glean info/note suspect characters?

Only if poison and bombs count as people skills. Variel does have survival, but isn't particularly good at it. He's the skill monkey/blaster for the group. Probably he'll try to help with the long-term care for the wounded.

"I am Azten, warrior of Sarenrae, studier of magical items, and Pathfinder. A pleasure to meet you, even under such circumstances."

Lof, Azten, and Abel have good CHA; mine's pretty good as well but they would be better in relating/questioning realistically. At this stage I'm guessing sneaking about might be good while Variel and Tahl look about for signs of passage into the desert and checking 'the crime scene'

I'm fine with Tahl searching the scene of the fire and the outskirts of the camp. Though I'd advise for us to stay with in sight/ shouting distance of camp.
Also Lofnaiali can assist with the injured and has some diplomacy as well.

As the others make their introductions, Talahel begins to slip outside to investigate the area around the burned wagon.

He stays in the shadows to avoid being seen... Stealth 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

...and he does a scan of the surrounding area to spy any suspicious activity... Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

...and looks on the ground for tracks or a source of the fire. Survival 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

PERCEPTION:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
STEALTH:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
SURVIVAL:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Tahl watches as Talahel leaves the tent and slips out after him. As he leaves he steps on a piece of broken pottery outside of the tent. He visibly winces as he hears it crunch underneath his boot and silently scolds himself for not avoiding that.

When he arrives with Talahel he begins to search methodically checking everything.

Talahel notices that the fellow who called out spends the entire meeting staring at the Lady Almah. Or at least, until he decides to sneak out. Looking round, it appears that everyone is inside the tent apart from a lone cook roasting a goat over the cookfire, not the most suspicious of activities. Somewhere back near the meeting tent, a potsherd crunches under a boot. The ground around the burned wagon is so trampled it's difficult to see if there are any tracks of interest. Tahlumilali joins him, and begins to search methodically... he thinks he sees tracks of a very small foot leading off to the north, but isn't certain.

Wrack his brains as he might, Variel cannot recall hearing of 'pugwampi' before.

"You are all welcome," says Lady Almah Roveshki, then turns and goes into the rear of the tent. Two of the Pactmaster Guards take post, while everyone else prepares to leave.

OK, what's everyone else doing?

You have several groups of people you can talk to - the Lady Almah, a group of mercenaries, the ginger-haired halfling healer, the Pactmaster's Guards and a few camp servants - cook, animal herders, Almah's maid, etc. Oh, and the grubby fellow who shouted out. Or you can join Tahlumilali and Talahel who have already started searching the area. Or, of course, you can do something I haven't thought of yet :)

Look at this because of the fire and all the running around it is hard to say, but it would appear that there was someone or something here that ran of towards the north. Do you have any idea as to what made them?

Tahl says as he rests on the front of his feet staring at the tracks heading north. The fact that he just asked a direct question shows his confusion of the small tracks.

Do the tracks look like it was a bare foot, were they running as in were the tracks spread out further than say someone walking in a calm manner, and can I tell how old these tracks are?

Azten, after introductions are over, walks over to the gubby man who shouted "Pugwampis!" earlier.

"Excuse sir, what are pugwampis?"

"Well perhaps Lady Almah, as we are already here, you might share with me your thoughts on how the fire started, who may have started it, and who exactly the victim was that now rests in the warm embrace of Saerenrae? A fortune teller I note by his caravan, how intruiging...

Auri continues to question the good Lady in order to source what information she may have to hand, using all his draconic wiles and the odd smattering of appropriate eloquence.

What self-respecting PC, given the opportunity, wouldn't choose to do something the GM didn't mention?

Neither charismatic nor skilled at tracking, Variel decided that his most efficient path towards obtaining the information his current employer sought lay in questioning the those who were closest to the scene of the accident, the burned guards. Hopefully, given his help at tending to them, they would be somewhat well-disposed to him, and if not, the halfling healer surely would be.

Afterward, Variel would inspect the burnt out wagon itself and see if his ... experience with fire and explosion would yield any insight.

Hoping that the previous successful heal checks will help, and possibly Alchemy or knowledge arcana for the inspection of the wagon.

Tahlumilali, you stare some more at the tracks you've found. The feet which made them were bare and quite small, but the marks are quite close together with the weight having mostly been on the toes.

Talahel, you continue to search the wagon, finding sooty ashes, a few broken bottles or potion vials, a cracked nonmagical crystal ball, and several pools of melted wax where candles must once have stood. Eloais's charred skeletal form remains near the center of the wagon. You cannot see any signs of a struggle.

Azten, you approach the man who shouted out. As you approach, his powerful body odor betrays a man with a very loose relationship with hygiene.

"Pugwampis?" he answers your query. "Terrible critters what crawled up from the Darklands below the earth. 'Jackal rats,' some folks call 'em, on account of their pointed little heads. They worship gnolls as gods and infest their communities like rats. Wherever pugwampis go, bad luck is sure to follow. The gnolls hate pugwampis because of it, and try to kill them all the time. But they always come back. Perhaps their bad luck caused the fortune-man's candles to start a fire? Yes, pugwampis. I am certain it was pugwampis."

Aurichalcum, you find that the Lady Almah is happy to talk with you, although you put this down as much to fascination with a miniature talking dragon than anything else!

"I hired Eloais in Solku about a month ago to read his cards for me," she begins. "Although I've never visited the land of my ancestors, having a harrower at my side just felt 'right.' I'm not convinced that the fire was arson, but I need to know if it was or not."

Variel, you head over towards the red-haired healer's tent, whence he has had the two injured mercenaries moved.

"Thank you for your assistance earlier," he says, looking up at your approach. "I doubt I could have saved both of them alone... I'm Father Zastoran, in the service of Nethys. Come and have a seat. It's good to meet new and interesting folks, I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about.

On hearing that you'd like to speak with the mercenaries, he leads you to where he has made up pallets for them. "Best I keep an eye on their progress for a day or two at least..."

Kallien (the one you saved) is awake. "I don't remember that much, I'm afraid," she says. "We were having dinner and a drink around the feast-fire, most everyone was there except some of the Lady's personal guards who were on duty, Eloais and that worm, Dashki. Off slavering over the Lady Almah in secret, no doubt."

Who ever meda these tracks was barefoot and walking slow and trying not to be heard it would seem. See how the pressure starts at the toes and goes back as if it was tip toeing away.

Tahl says as he lays his hand down next to a print knuckles on the sand to show Talahel.

"Greetings, Father. These hands are not a healer's, but I'm pleased to have been able to assist. As fortune has it, I'd treated burns and smoke a time or two.

The Lady Almah wishes to know the source of the fire. I don't suppose you know anything of the wagon, or those in it? And I will only speak with the patients if you feel it will not harm them. I had merely hoped that, as those closest to the fire, they might have some insight."

I believe we should inform Almah about the tracks they at least show that something happened to cause the fire.

If there are any caravan guards near by.

Make sure no one disturbs these tracks. Princess Almah needs to see them.

He says quietly while resting his arms casually on his blades.

Talahel looks at the tracks that Tahl shows him.

"Yes, I agree, something was trying to leave undisturbed. I searched the wagon. The owner of the wagon was trapped and unfortunately perished in the fire. Curious, there were no signs of a struggle either to restrain him, nor that he attempted to get out. We should inform Lady Almah quickly and then we should follow these tracks toward the north. Perhaps whomever or whatever set this fire is still near."

The Lady Almah is still in her tent with Aurichalcum, if you wish to speak with her.

Could I trouble you two, Talahel and Tahlumilali, for a Perception check, please?

Able has quietly followed Azten, and as the old man speaks takes notes on his description of the Pugwampis. "But is there no benefit to be gained from the presence of pugwampis?" he chimes in curiously. [b]"Are they simple parasites on the gnolls, or do the gnolls receive some advantage from keeping their unlucky brethren about?"

Perception1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22